The worst weekend of my working life!
By Trace86
@Trace86 (5030)
United States
March 24, 2008 10:49pm CST
I was the nurse on call this weekend for staffing issues. My problems started Friday night when one of the girls called to tell me that another one of the girls wouldn't be in Friday or Saturday night. Now she is supposed to call me herself. I was told she couldn't because...well it's too private. Too private??? I am her supervisor and need to know when I can expect her back!
The whole weekend I was scrambling to find people to cover. One would say I will work x but have to be off y. Then someone would work y but must be off z. I scrambled the whole weekend. People didn't answer their phones, others hung up on me(she swears it wasn't her, she claims I had the wrong number).
Then Saturday night, the power went out at 130 am. Not a big deal cuz it's night time? Hah! It's a nursing home with important electrical equipment. Air beds, oxygen, feeding pumps, etc...
The worst part? Nursing call is a duty without compensation! No pay, no extra day off. I think that really stinks alot!
1 person likes this
3 responses
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
27 Mar 08
Although I agree nursing isn't paid as much as they should be they do get paid and such. My sister is an LPN and has done staffing for nursing homes so I know how miserable it is to be able to find staff. I've heard her rant about it more then once or twice when she did it. Where she worked she couldn't even call in agency to cover and they would expect her to cover it if she couldn't find anyone else. Nice huh?
I hope it got better for you. I also hope that venting like that made you feel better.
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
27 Mar 08
Heheh you're welcome. I hope the boss agreed to it. Sounds as if you could use a weekend or two off for a bit.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
31 Mar 08
Yeah. If you are the supervisor she should tell you what is going on if she wants to continue to work there and not be replaced or fired. I think she is just palying games with you. I used to work at a nursing home for a short time. It was alot of work for very small pay. I was only in housekeeping though. The nusring home was also too depressing for me.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (120917)
• United States
25 Mar 08
Without compensation? Is that even legal? It must be I guess, but wow, is that unfair. You obviously care more about the residents than those nurses who had better things to do. Your profession is such a committment, and I hope that those people realize that very soon.
